


The Dark Prince

by Embarassedbutkinky



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Deal with a Devil, Demons, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hell, Mini Big Bang Challenge, Pregnancy, Soul Selling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-16 13:29:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18692449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embarassedbutkinky/pseuds/Embarassedbutkinky
Summary: Bulma's company has fallen on rough times, and she's willing to do just about anything to save it. When two demons show up and offer her success, she's willing to sell her soul, but that's not what they want. The Prince of Hell needs an heir, and they want it to be half human. She agrees, but doesn't expect to ever actually meet him... Posted for the Vegebulocracy Minibang! Some lovely art will be included in a later chapter, there will be about 7, and I will post daily.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my amazing beta, rockykelboa!

Rule 1: A demon must not affect free will.

Rule 2: A demon must not make life from nothing.

Rule 3: A demon must only visit Earth in accordance to their power level.

Rule 4: A demon must not manipulate a human into a contract,

Rule 5. Hell must fulfill their side of an agreement.

Rule 6: A demon's existence is temporary.

Rule 7: Hell must have a royal family.

Rule 8: A demon must report rule breakers.

Rule 9: Rule breakers and suspected accomplices will be executed.

Rule 10: A demon must not love a human.

  
  


“It can't be that bad,” Chichi huffed as they jogged down the familiar path back to their apartment building. “The Capsule Corp logo is on  _ everything _ . I always buy Capsule Corp stuff.”

Bulma smiled weakly, choosing to accept the hollow reassurance instead of telling Chichi why she was wrong. It was true, the company her father had built before his death made excellent products. Unfortunately, that was becoming their downfall. When an item was capsulized it was essentially in a state of suspended animation, meaning if you bought fresh bananas and capsulized them, they'd still be fresh bananas a month later when you uncapsulized them. Capsulization was the meat and potatoes of her company, but it had a fatal flaw.

Products didn't have to age.

If you were to buy a Capsule Car, for instance, there was no reason to buy a garage. Simply shrink it into nothing at night, the perfect solution for those with limited living space. That had made them a pretty penny. Unfortunately, a Capsule Car in its container would only age while in use. They lasted for  _ years _ as long as you took care of them, so no one had to buy any new products.

Ever.

They'd not predicted this issue when her parents were alive. One quarter their numbers just began to plummet and had never recovered. Layoffs followed soon after, then downsizing. That was how she found herself having to sell the Capsule Corp Compound, a place she'd called home since she was an infant. There were a few nice things about her new apartment, sure; she didn't really need all that space, and her new neighbor Chichi had been an unexpected perk. Still, the fact was that yes, the numbers really were that bad. The company was going under, and she was going to be known as the woman at the helm when the whole ship sank.

“Maybe I should be a stripper,” she blurted out to lighten the mood.

Chichi snorted. “What?”

“Yeah, Bulma Briefs, the stripping CEO. Bet that'd bring in some funds. At this point I'd do anything to keep us afloat.”

Chichi laughed. “I'm sure you'll find something better than--” she was cut off when a man running the other direction bumped into her shoulder. He turned and glanced at her, a wild shock of black hair bobbing in the slight breeze. “Hey, watch it you big oaf!”

“Oh, sorry,” he said with a goofy smile.

“You better be,” she huffed after him as he jogged past them, talking to his friend.

“Hey, how was your date last night?” Bulma asked, changing the subject with a smile.

Chichi rolled her eyes. “It was a total waste of time.”

“Really? He seemed perfect for you. Polite, responsible, attentive--”

“Boring,” Chichi finished. “I know. He had everything on my dating requirements list, even a five year plan and a 401k. He was just…  _ so _ boring. We agreed on everything, it felt like a job interview.”

“Maybe you need to start looking for opposites,” Bulma teased. “You know, find some burnout with half an art degree who still has his mother do his laundry and just have some fun with him.”

She shrugged, blushing a little. “Maybe. Hey can I grab that sweater I lent you?”

Bulma nodded with a smile as they finally made it back to their building. “Sure. I'll grab it for you before I head out. I think I'm going to go back to the office this afternoon.”

“Don't overwork yourself,” Chichi warned her. “You being exhausted won't help anything.”

“Okay,” she said to placate her.  _ I don't need overtime,  _ she thought.  _ I need a miracle. _

Chichi followed her to her apartment. This complex was definitely a step down from the luxury of her last home, but it was higher-end, and in a good neighborhood. She had to keep up appearances, after all. They had a doorman and a security system, so she had really never expected intruders. Her door was still locked when they arrived, and all looked well until they stepped inside.

Her apartment was decorated with mostly white furnishings, lit by wide windows on the east side. On a normal day, the effect of her sparse furniture made the space look wider than it was, but the room looked smaller today with two, large, strange men waiting for her.

The women froze. There was a tall, muscular man in exercise clothes sitting at her table, the remains of a leftover pizza scattered across the surface in front of him as he shoveled the last piece into his mouth. He smiled when they came in, waving excitedly.

“Finally,” he said, “you guys took forever. What do you have to drink?”

Bulma blinked away her confusion, and it morphed into rage. “Who the fuck are you? Get out of my apartment!”

He snorted, still grinning. “I'm Kakarot. What are we talking? Soda? Beer?”

She gaped, unsure what to say.

He rolled his eyes. “Ray! What's she got to drink?”

A second man with a long mane of dark hair was visible in her attached kitchen, half hidden by the island counter as he dug through her fridge. “I'm seeing mainly health shit, like tomato juice and protein shakes.”

Kakarot winced. “Gross.”

“I -- I'm calling the police!” Bulma said, pulling out her phone. She turned to her friend. “Go get the building manager--”

Kakarot snapped his fingers. The door swung shut behind them, trapping the women in the apartment, and Bulma's phone exploded with a pop. They both let out a scream as she dropped the fried device.

“You're not gonna wanna do that,” he said with an apologetic shrug. “You want us here.”

“Oh?” She asked, crossing her arms and ignoring how terrified she was. “And why is that?”

“You asked for a miracle. Someone was listening. You're  _ welcome _ .”

“So, you're what? Angels?”

The man with longer hair snorted as he carried half of the contents of her fridge to the table. “Uh, no. Pretty far off, actually.”

“Hey,” Chichi said, suddenly finding her voice. “I know you! You're the moron who ran into me this morning!”

Kakarot chuckled. “That was an accident. I was paying attention to your friend, not you. You aren't worth anything to us. So, Bulma, we need to have a chat. This is my brother, Raditz, and we have an offer to make you.”

“I'll show you who's worthless!” Chichi snapped, surging forward. Bulma caught her by the waist, keeping her away from the strange men.

Raditz frowned as he plopped down in a dining chair never meant for anyone his size. “You should have let the spare leave, Ka. There's no reason for her to be here.”

“Aw, she won't cause problems for us. Will you Chichi?”

The brunette faltered. “How do you know my name?”

“We do our research,” Raditz said tearing into a box of cookies. “We're liaisons for a reason.”

“Liaisons for who?” Bulma asked. She boldly stepped forward and sat across the table from them, slipping on her 'boss lady’ face. No one was going to make her feel out of place in her own apartmentment. “If this is some proposal for a merger or buyout, I doubt I'm interested. You can have your Board of Directors contact my office directly to set up an appointment. Now leave.”

They laughed. “We'd have to buy suits,” Raditz said around a mouthful of cookies.

“No thanks,” Kakarot said. “I don't even like these disguises. Let's ditch them.”

There was a burst of heat that made the women wince. When they opened their eyes the men were no longer in workout clothes, but in thick armor. Long tails had burst forth behind them, hanging lazily over their chairs, and they seemed impossibly larger somehow. Small horns curled over their temples.

Chichi stumbled back. “Demons,” she whispered.

“Oh, look, we have their attention,” Kakarot said, stealing a hand full of cookies from his brother.

Bulma tried to not look afraid. “Get out.”

“Can't. Not yet. Got a job to do,” Raditz said, shrugging. “Go for it Ka, I'm eating.”

“Like I said, we have an offer for you. Capsule Corp is going under. I know that's not common knowledge yet, but we have our sources. Our 'Board of Directors’ has the power to change that. You scratch our backs, we scratch yours.”

“Don't listen to them, Bulma,” Chichi cried, holding her hands over her ears. “They're evil! They want your soul.”

“Not exactly,” he continued. “That is our normal payment, but we've got a special deal just for you.  _ No _ automatic damnation required. Interested?”

“No!” Chichi snapped.

Bulma drummed her fingers on the table. “Tell me what you want.”

“Bulma, you can't be considering--”

Raditz snapped his fingers and Chichi fell unconscious onto the couch behind her.

“Aw, Ray, I liked her!” Kakarot complained. “She’s feisty.”

“She was getting in the way. Here's the basic deal, Bulma, we can explain specifics later. Demons can have children, but they give birth to other demons. Our royal family wants a new heir, someone human enough not to follow the restrictions demons have to deal with. You have to let our Prince knock you up, give birth, and raise the kid until he can begin training. Then we'll take him off your hands. In exchange, Capsule Corp goes back on top of the market, and we keep it there until you die of old age.”

She took the offer in stride, thinking silently for several minutes. “What… what would the child be used for?”

“Well, we're not gonna eat him,” Kakarot laughed. “He'd be trained to be the new prince.”

“Prince of… Hell,” she said, needing to confirm what she felt she already knew.

They nodded.

“Why me?”

“You don't have cash,” Kakarot said, “but you have power. The child is going to need influence in the human world. Being Bulma Briefs’ son would open doors for him whenever he chose to visit Earth.”

She took a deep breath.

“They don't expect you to answer immediately,” Kakarot said. A long contract appeared in his hands and he slid it over to her, along with a deep red pen. “Take this and look it over. You have until midnight tomorrow night. Press the pen to your palm and it'll fill with your blood, no pain necessary. We'll know.”

She nodded numbly. When she looked up, the demons were gone, and so was most of her food.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check out BianWW on Tumblr and arinanodraws on Twitter, they made amazing art for this fic. I will be posting it also in a future chapter. Here's the links, check them out!
> 
> https://mobile.twitter.com/arinanodraws?lang=en
> 
> https://bianww.tumblr.com/post/184619223455/the-dark-prince-by-ebkfics-this-one-was-other-of

When Chichi had woken up and asked her in a panic if she'd taken a deal, she told the truth. No, she had not made a deal with anyone. She explained what they'd wanted from her, and that her soul was not on the table. She did  _ not  _ mention that she was seriously considering it. Her company meant the world to her, and she'd truly meant it when she said she'd do anything to save it.

Never once did she doubt the reality of her situation. Unlike Chichi, she'd never been a spiritual or religious person, but she'd seen their abilities in front of her eyes. These clearly were not humans playing a joke, and if they were scam artists you'd think they'd pose as angels, not the opposite.

This was ultimately a business decision, so she'd do what she always did with business decisions. Pros and cons. On the upside, her business would improve.  _ More _ than improve, based on what she could make out in the contract. It was written in heavy legalese; she shouldn't be surprised that hell seemed to have an excellent team of lawyers. From what she could tell, Capsule Corp would become one of the most powerful companies in the world to benefit both her and her child, and it'd stay that way.

Also on the upside, she'd always intended to have a child at some point in her life. Though, according to the contract she wouldn't have custody for long. She'd get to keep the baby for a few years until it could walk and talk, and then they'd take him for ‘training’, whatever that was. He'd be allowed to visit her six months later if and when he chose to.

Then the downsides. One, she'd have to be pregnant, which did not sound fun, especially if the boy wasn't entirely human. The contract assured her that they could make sure it was a boy, something about continuing the male bloodline. They got to dictate certain parts of her ‘diet and activities’, whatever that meant. Two, and most importantly,  _ the kid would be evil.  _ He and her mysterious 'baby daddy’. Was this wrong, like, morally? What would the kid do when he grew up? He could use her name to hold a lot of influence in the business world.

She sat at her table the next night at 11pm, tapping the pen against the wood. Just as the demons had told her, as soon as she held it against her palm it had filled with her own blood. Time was running out, and then the opportunity would be gone. She took a long sip of wine. Next to the contract sat a picture of her father she'd pulled out for inspiration. He wouldn't want  _ this _ , but… his company meant everything to him, and it was going down. She covered her eyes and signed the dotted line before she could change her mind.

“Alright, now we're in business,” a voice said across the table from her. She jumped, uncovering her eyes to find Kakarot grinning at her.

She growled at him. “Would it kill you to use the door?”

His eyes widened, and then he laughed. “I like you. I'm glad I got assigned this case. Me and Raditz, that is. I'm your primary contact, he's your secondary.”

“Contact?”

“Demons on demand. Just say my name out loud and I'll show up fast, from now until the kid's eighteenth birthday, long after he goes 'downstairs’. I can answer questions, handle emergencies, and put in requests you might have. I'll take this,” he said, swiping the contract from her. “You can ask me for clarifications if you need them.”

“You can read all that nonsense?”

“Better, it's seared into my brain until your deal is over. Do you have any questions right off the bat?”

“What kind of time frame are we looking at?” She asked “Like, before or after Christmas? I'm going to have to take some time off probably.”

“Prince Vegeta will be here at 3AM tonight.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Tonight? Are you crazy? I don't even know if I  _ can _ get pregnant right now, let alone--”

“You are at the ideal point in your cycle. I told you, we do our homework. Why do you think there was a time limit?”

She gulped, swallowing down a squeak of fear. “Does  _ he _ really have to be here? I mean, no offense, I'd rather not meet the Prince of Hell.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Uh, do you know how babies are made, Bulma? Of course he has to be here.”

“We-- we don't actually… I have to have sex with him? Can't you just, like, cross your arms and 'I Dream of Genie’ that kid into me?”

He laughed wolfishly. “This is no immaculate conception, Rosemary. You want The Prince's baby, your gonna have to get it the old fashioned way. If it doesn't work this month we try again next month.”

“You have enough power to make Capsule Corp successful but you can't just  _ make _ me pregnant? Suspicious.”

“There's strict rules about the creation of life. We're just working with what we have.”

“Why so late? Why not just tell him to get his royal ass in here now?”

“The Royal Family does not have the freedom low-class demons like me do. My power level is low compared to theirs, so I can visit Earth several times a day if I want. They're way more powerful than me, so they can only be here occasionally from the witching hour until dawn, which will be exactly 5:28AM tomorrow morning. You got two hours and twenty-eight minutes before he's automatically pulled back.”

“Talk about speed dating,” she muttered. “What do I even say to him?”

“You say  _ nothing _ to him,” Kakarot said, suddenly serious. The smile fell from his face and his eyes turned hard. “He hates humans. Just fuck him for as long as he wants and keep your mouth shut.”

She huffed. “Excuse me? I'm not a whore.”

He tapped the side of his head. “According to the contract, you kind of are. Be seeing you soon, Bulma.” He winked at her.

\------------------------

 

How the hell did you prepare for something like this? It'd been a while since she'd even been on a date, let alone had sex. She took a long bath and shaved her legs, figuring she may as well follow her typical pre-date ritual.

What would he look like? Kakarot and Raditz had looked mostly human, even after they'd ditched their disguises. But Kakarot had mentioned that the Royal Family was different. How different did he mean? It was unnerving knowing anyone from Channing Tatum to Skeletor could show up in her apartment, and she'd have to have sex with them regardless.

She decided on the bedroom, no reason to make this any stranger than it had to be. By two thirty she was stretched out on the bed, far too anxious to sleep. Should she put on lingerie? No, she decided, she was doing this for her company only, with no enthusiasm. As far as she was concerned, he could show up when she was in granny panties and a facemask and he'd just have to deal with it… but she still slipped into one of her nicer nightgowns and subconsciously fixed her hair anyway. It  _ had _ been awhile.

Would he knock? Probably not, Kakarot and Raditz hadn't. Of course he was higher class than them… she sighed, dropping her face into her palms to think. She swept her hair back and looked up, then gasped and went pale.

He stood not ten feet from her bed, straight-backed but not tall, despite his posture. His robes were black, emblazoned with red trim on the hems, and a third color she couldn't quite place subtly worked into the fabric. His wild hair raised above him like it'd been blown straight up by a hot wind. Fire? As far as she knew it could have been. Dark eyes regarded her carefully, drinking in the sight of her like she was a new food dropped temptingly on his plate.

He pulled the sash from his robe and let it fall, leaving him naked. Her eyes went wide for a fraction of a moment at his size, but he must have seen it because he smirked at her. Not another inch of him was in excess; he was sculpted like a statue, and she felt as if when she touched him his skin would be cold and hard like granite. A long brown tail of dark fur moved behind him, raised slightly like a strutting cat. He was waiting for something. What?

The smirk disappeared, and he frowned like she had insulted him. He snapped his fingers and pointed at the ground at his feet.

Nope. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up in warning as her mouth opened of its own accord. She should have known silent subservience was not one of her strengths.

“I don't fucking think so, Buddy,” she said boldly to the Prince of Hell. “If you want a piece of this get your ass over here.”

He blinked in shock for a moment, and then growled low in his throat.  _ My big mouth, _ she thought to herself as she got her demand. He took a long step toward her bed, towering over her.

“Do you know to whom you are speaking, Earth Girl?”

“Prince Vegeta, I assume,” she snapped. “Unless you're another low class lackey like Kakarot.”

“Can you not tell the difference?”

“Nope.”

“Then you're  _ welcome _ . It means I am holding my true form back well.”

“Not well enough to ditch the tail.”

He gaped at her.  Apparently, this was not how you were supposed to talk to the Prince of Hell. “Did your contact not instruct you on your place? I'll have him dismembered.”

“He told me plenty. He did not tell me you'd come waltzing in here  _ snapping _ at me. You're a big boy. If you want something use your words.”

“Clearly you are not an appropriate candidate!”

“Apparently  _ not _ . They didn't warn me you'd be a dick. Why don't you go ahead and rip up the contract?”

“You cannot simply destroy an agreement forged in blood,” he spat. “You'd know that if you weren't a pathetic human playing with forces she does not understand.”

“Well maybe you'd understand what manners were if you weren't an arrogant dickhead, probably spoiled beyond belief with… I don't know, what do you guys like? Brimstone and charcoal?”

“This is why I can't stand your species!” He snarled. “They either cower in fear with nothing to say or they open their mouths and useless noise like your voice falls out.”

“Oh, well,  _ excuse me _ for being human,” she snapped, standing to face him. “Isn't that the point of this? Your weakass bloodline needs my help to visit Earth for more than two hours.”

“How-- how dare you! I'll rip the flesh from your mortal bones!”

“Then do it!” She barked, anger far outpacing her terror.

He grabbed her arms, and for a moment she was afraid she'd finally pushed the wrong being too far. Figures, who else could have 'Pissed Off The Prince of Hell’ on their death certificate? Then his hot mouth was against hers, calloused hands sliding up the back of her silk nightgown.

She thought about protesting for a moment. Wasn't she pissed at him? His tongue pushed into her mouth and she felt him lift her from the ground like she weighed nothing, supporting her against his stomach so she had to wrap her legs around his waist. He spun them around and pressed her against the wall, mouth leaving hers to trail down her neck.

“What, you like me now?” She gasped out. “I thought I wasn't a suitable candidate.”

“I don't have to like you,” he growled against her skin. “I just have to want you, and I do. I'm going to make your insolent tongue be still.”

She opened her mouth to ask how the hell he was going to do that, but then his rough fingers were on her, his hot breath in her ear. He tossed her panties away as if they were an insect on his nerves. She hadn't even heard them rip.

Her nightgown was given a similar treatment, and she was soon naked against him. He kissed down her chest and caught a nipple in his mouth, sucking it hungrily. She bit her lip, holding back a groan deep in her throat, but he noticed.

He released her breast and caught her lips against his again. “Don't do that. I want to hear you.”

“You just said--”

“You don't have to speak to scream,” he teased her, pushing a finger up into her wet folds and watching her mouth fall open. He chuckled deep in his throat. “You're too small for me. We'll have to fix that.”

She had to admit he was right. He worked her open slowly until he could fit three fingers inside her, then pressed up against her entrance. Even then she had her doubts about taking all of him in, and her heart sped up as she worried how much it could hurt if he just rammed himself in. To her surprise he moved gently, easing himself inside a bit at a time to not hurt her.

Finally he was buried deep inside, and he let out a shaky breath against her skin. “Fuck.”

She laughed weakly while he carried her over to the bed and laid her out, thrusting into her shallowly at first, and then increasing his pace. She took hold of his shoulders, hanging on to stop from sliding up as his thrusts became fierce.

He growled lowly against her neck. “I've never had a human before. You're softer than I expected. Wetter. Do you come as easy as demon women?”

“How the hell should I know,” she gasped, arching against him. “I usually… usually need someone rubbing my--”

His hand fell between them as he leaned up, viciously rubbing against her sensitive flesh as he continued his relentless work. A desperate moan escaped her lips as she felt that sweet tension building in her core.

“You're a little more work,” he smirked. “I like that.”

The muscles in her abdomen tensed as the familiar sweetness ran through her body. He chuckled as she convulsed around him, then leaned back down and wrapped his arms around her, speeding up to his end.

He came with a loud growl, still clinging to her. In the seconds afterward they were silent, silent in a heavy way that rang out the completion of their contract, if accidental. She expected him to go immediately, maybe in some great dramatic puff of red smoke, but he just rolled away, catching his breath. He looked out of place in a bed. Did they have beds where he was from? Would her baby have a bed there someday? They laid in silence a long time, close physically but miles apart.

She cleared her throat finally. “Well. That was… not awful.”

He jumped slightly, looking at her as if for the first time. “I suppose. For a human.”

“I'm kinda glad you don't have, like, horns and red skin.”

He smirked at her. “For all you know I do.”

“Hope the kid turns out normal. It's hard to plaster your kid all over Instagram if he looks like Bowser. Can you tell if it worked?”

“Not yet, but soon. Let us hope that this is the only time that this will be required of us.”

“Us? This is your idea, Buddy. I'm the one bound by the stupid contract.”

“What gave you the impression that this was my choice?” He asked.

She turned to ask him what he meant, but he was gone. Her alarm clock let out a ring that told her his time had run out.


	3. Chapter 3

Bulma knocked on Chichi's door again, pressing her ear to the wood. It was Saturday, and she knew her friend always went to the nursing home to visit her father in the afternoon on her days off, but she was pretty confident she'd be early enough to catch her. She just really needed a friend today.

She had slept off and on all through Friday, half out of exhaustion from being up all night, and half from shame. At one moment she'd be completely confident in her decision, and in the next she'd be doubled over in dread and regret. How could she agree to this?

She'd finally pulled herself out of bed early this morning and went on a long walk to think about his visit, questioning her sanity. If Chichi hadn't been with her when the demons came, she'd consider checking herself into a psych ward. Eventually the need to confirm that they'd really seen the beings together became overwhelming, and she wandered back to their apartment building to talk.

She listened at the door and thought she heard movement, so she took out the key her friend had given her and let herself in.

“Chichi?” She asked, looking around. She caught sight of her fridge door standing open, covering its user. “Hey, I tried to knock. You okay?”

“She's in the shower. I wasn't sure I was supposed to answer the door,” Kakarot laughed, standing up with a pile of her food in his arms. He kicked the door closed, and Bulma's mouth dropped open. He was completely and unashamedly naked.

“Kakarot! What are you doing here?”

“On Earth? First I was looking for you. Then I was fucking. Now I'm eating.”

She gaped at him as he fell into one of Chichi's small but stylish lounge chairs, its small frame threatening to crack under his large one.

The door to the bathroom swung open and Chichi stepped out in a robe. As soon as she saw her friend she froze, a blush running over her face. Her eyes darted to the naked demon eating her food, and the blush deeped. “Uh, hi Bulma.”

Bulma snorted. “What the actual hell, Chichi? What happened to 'don't listen to them, they're evil’?”

“Well, she's wasn't wrong,” Kakarot mumbled around a mouthful of crackers.

“I really don't need your help with this part,” Chichi shot at him.

“That's not what you said twenty minutes ago.”

“Kakarot, go to Hell. I don't even mean that as an insult, just go home. I need to talk to Bulma.”

“No can do just yet, Chi,” he said, hopping up. “I came here for a reason. Bulma, lift your shirt.”

Bulma held her hands protectively over her chest.

He rolled his eyes. “Not that high.” He held up his hand and wiggled his fingers. “Demon pregnancy test. Only takes about a day to tell.”

Chichi crossed her arms and glared at her friend. “Oh, Bulma, you didn't!”

Bulma motioned incredulously to the naked demon next to them.

“That's… different. We used protection, and I didn't make any kind of deal.”

Bulma pulled up her shirt, and Kakarot's hand slid over her middle. He closed his eyes a long moment, then shook his head and sighed. “Nope. Not this time. We'll wait until you reach the right point in your cycle next month and try again.”

She considered that. He was coming back. “Could he just try again tonight?”

Kakarot grinned wolfishly. “Not too hard to look at, is he?”

She stammered. “I'm just thinking that most women have a few days a month where they can get pregnant. Why wait?”

He shook his head. “He can't come up more than once a week. Against the rules. You watch the news today?”

She narrowed her eyes. “No.”

He snapped his fingers, and Chichi's television switched on. “I would, if I were you. A little incentive to remind you why you've agreed to work with us. Hey Chichi, I'm gonna put you on my call list.”

She looked at him suspiciously. “What does that mean?”

“Call my name and I'll hear you, and if I'm not working I can be here in seconds.” He winked at her, then set two fingers against his temple. “Bye, ladies.”

When he was gone Bulma put a hand on her hip. “Details. Now.”

Chichi looked away. “I didn't hear from you at all yesterday, so I went to check on you. You didn't answer your door, so I let myself in and he was just sitting at your table, waiting. Apparently they can't just teleport to where someone is, they don't just  _ know _ where you are unless you call them. One thing just led to another. It was an accident.”

“You banged a demon accidentally?”

“You're the one who told me to just pick some loser and have fun.”

“I meant some dudebro named Chet who wants to 'focus on his dj career’, not a literal hellbeast! Also, not to change the subject, but are you  _ okay _ ? The size of that thing--”

“Did you make the deal? You agreed to have the Prince's baby? And you're gonna judge  _ me _ ?”

Bulma sighed. “I'm not trying to judge you, Chichi. I'm just worried about you. You don't seem like the type who likes casual flings. If you got attached to him it could hurt.”

She shrugged, less angry. “I'm a big girl. Now answer my question.”

The television blared louder suddenly, distracting them.  _ “Astounding news in the business sector today.” _ The announcer beamed.  _ “For the first time in a year Capsule Corporation stock is up. We've watched the company fall by the wayside over the last few quarters, hemorrhaging money after the death of Dr.Briefs, its well loved founder. Today the company's stock raised two hundred and thirty-six percent, and the day’s not over folks. This could be the stroke of good fortune the company and its shareholders have been hoping for…” _

Bulma smiled sadly as a picture of her father flashed on the screen. “Just look at that, Chichi. How could I say no?”

Her friend sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I just hope you know what you're doing.”

“So do I.”

\---------------------

 

What followed was the best month in Capsule Corp history. The stock continued to rise as customers came pouring back in for no apparent reason. As a result she was at work constantly, almost too busy to even think about the  circumstances surrounding her success. Almost.

Bulma had a personality quirk she'd gotten from her father that had contributed to her incredible ability to engineer new products, not that anyone was buying them until a few weeks ago. When she was afraid or intimidated by something, she tore it apart until she understood every wheel and cog.  She decided that understanding demons was her new project.

Kakarot was slumped over on her couch a little more than three weeks after her contract was signed, looking bored. She sat across from him with a notepad in her hand.

“So what about the stereotypes of animal sacrifices and stuff to summon demons? Does that actually work?”

Kakarot winced. “No. If someone is desperate enough to make a deal and their soul is worth our time, we make an offer. If they say no, we usually wipe their memory. Sometimes we don't, because it's funny to watch them tell everybody and have no one believe them.”

“What do you mean 'worth your time?’ All humans have a soul, right?”

“Some souls are worth more than others.”

“Well, that's up for debate.”

“It's really not. I'm not being philosophical. The soul of a kind man is worth more than some guy who throws his fast-food wrappers out of the car window on the highway.”

“All these rules,” she grumbled. “How do you keep them straight?”

“They were seared into my brain with hellfire at birth.”

“Oh. But who makes the rules? If you're all so powerful, why make rules at all?”

“I dunno,” he shrugged.

“You don't know? Then why follow them?”

“It's just my job. Can I go now? Chichi's calling me.”

She winced. She'd been trying to politely not notice how often Chichi's apartment was locked lately. “Okay, I have one more question. When Vegeta was here, he mentioned that he wasn't doing this by choice. So why was he--”

Kakarot suddenly sat up straight, his face going blank as his eyes turned a dark black. “Forbidden question detected. Mortal, you have crossed a line,” a rumbling voice said through Kakarot's mouth. “The point of your contact Kakarot was to inform you of questions relating to your deal. He has gone a step too far and disclosed that which is not necessary for you to know already, and you continue to press. This contact will be killed and your primary will be the demon Raditz.”

“No!” Bulma cried out, imagining Chichi's face when she found out she'd gotten her fling killed. “Look, I won't ask any more questions, okay?” She said, ripping up the paper in front of her. “I won't tell anyone anything about demons, it's not like anyone would believe me anyway. In fact…” she paused, remembering one of the rules he'd explained to her about their absolute obligation to fulfill their side of the bargain, “if I were to spout off such nonsense as CEO, it'd hurt my company. A lot. Please don't kill Kakarot, I haven't really gotten to know Raditz, and the stress of switching could be really bad on the baby. You know, in the near future.”

The demon sat very still for a long moment. “Very well. Stick to what you need to know. This will be the only warning.”

Kakarot shook his head, and his eyes faded to normal. “Huh. I have the weirdest headache all of a sudden. Did you say you had one more question?”

“It wasn't important, forget it. You're dismissed.”

He rubbed his hands together with a grin, then set his fingers against his temple.

“She's literally across the hall, just walk over there.”

“She likes it when I pop in naked.”

She shivered. “That was more information than I needed, thanks.”

“Oh, hey, one more thing,” he said, pausing. “He's coming at 3AM Friday morning and staying until 5:34AM. Get down to business and get a bun in that oven. Will you need a reminder?”

“Don't think I could forget something like that.”

“Okay, see you a day after then, unless you need me.” Then he was gone.

Bulma played with her necklace. Vegeta was coming back. She'd just have to ask her question then. She decided she'd be more prepared this time.

\------------------

 

At 3AM on the dot the following Friday morning, Prince Vegeta appeared in the woman's bedroom once again. He wished he could say it was a horrible inconvenience for him to have to do this again, but it'd be a lie. The strange woman had intrigued him with her fearless voice, and he wasn't disgusted by the thought of hearing it again. He raised an eyebrow when he saw she wasn't there. Was she having second thoughts already?

“I'm out here!” She called through the bedroom door.

He stalked out into the living room and saw she was waiting for him by her table. She'd put on a nice blue dress, and her hair was up in a tight bun, the picture of confidence. Then why did she look so nervous?

“Hey, I know you're limited on time, but we have a few hours. I noticed you demons like to eat. I've got a roast in the oven, if you're interested. I think we got off on the wrong foot last time.”

He blinked at her. She wanted to  _ feed _ him? Why? Nothing this woman said or did made any sense. It was true he didn't have that much experience with human woman. When he did meet one they were already dead, one of the souls they'd collected from a deal of some sort, and they'd always cowered in fear before him. Even when he was disguised, they felt his power and knew to hold their tongues.

And she wanted to serve him dinner.

He walked to the table slowly, not agreeing but not protesting either. She smirked at him, dropping into the seat across from him. “So, rough day at the office?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “What does that mean?”

She shrugged. “I don't really know how to start a conversation with the Prince of Hell. Like, what do you actually do when you're not here? Torture people?”

“No. That is not my department. I train.”

“For what?”

“To be stronger.”

“Okay, but why? Like, is there going to be some big good versus evil showdown?”

“No. Hell requires a strong leader in case of war.”

“Oh. When was the last war?”

“Seven centuries ago.”

“Were you… there?”

He smirked. “How old do you believe I am?”

“Kinda hard to tell. For all I know you're immortal.”

“I am thirty-one, in Earth years.”

Her jaw dropped open. “We're the same age? That's disappointing.”

His smirk dropped away. “Why?”

“I thought I was boning some ancient hell spawn. You're barely old enough to remember floppy discs.”

He crossed his arms. “We may be evenly matched in age, but in strength and power I am  _ eons _ further than you.”

“Yeah, whatever. Wait until you taste my roast. We'll see who has more to brag about.”

“Is something burning?”

She sniffed the air, then ran towards the oven. “Oh! Shit!” She pulled the ruined meal from the oven, cursing under her breath. “Damn it.”

“That hardly seems necessary.”

“It looked so easy on the cooking channel. Oh, well. Say, can you teleport? Could you like pop down the street to grab us some food? I'd order in but nowhere nearby delivers this late.”

He sputtered. “I am the Prince, not a delivery boy.”

“Well then, I guess we don't eat,” she sighed, dropping into the chair. “I don't have time to drive somewhere if you've only got a few hours.”

“Do you not have a servant?”

“The company's on the rise, but I'm not that rich, Buddy.”

He rolled his eyes. “I meant a demon.”

“Oh, yeah. He could-- oh, but I don't want to bother him if he's with--” she cut herself off, staring at him. She didn't want to get Kakarot in trouble again. Was he actually allowed to have sex with humans? They could clearly check up on him occasionally, but maybe it was a secret. “I mean, I'd hate to bother him so late just to feed us.”

“Nonsense, that's what the lower class is for. Call him.”

She cleared her throat. “Uh, Kakarot? Can you come here, please?”

The Prince raised an eyebrow. “Why do you address him in that way?”

“In what way?”

“Like he deserves such respect? I assure you, only the lowliest of demons are reduced to working with humans.”

“What makes them lower?”

“They are born as such.”

She crossed her arms. “Well that's fucking stupid.”

He actually chuckled, mostly out of shock. “It is accurate.”

Kakarot appeared suddenly, smiling at her. He caught sight of who sat across from her and his smile disappeared. He dropped quickly to his knees and pressed his head against the floorboards.

“Demon Third Class, Kakarot, at your service, My Lord.”

“Your response time is abysmal,” Vegeta said with a sneer. Good, maybe this minion would give the woman an example of how beings were  _ supposed _ to act in his presence. “If she was in peril she could have died before you arrived. Do you intend to be so slow when my child is under your watch?’

“No, My Lord. I will do better.”

“Bring us food before I lose my patience.”

“Yes, My Lord. Uh… but--”

Vegeta opened his mouth to snap at the underling, but Bulma stopped him. “That's enough!” She snarled.

Both of the demons gaped at her.

“I've had just about enough of you barking at my friend!”

“Your...friend?”

“Kakarot's been here almost every day for a month. Of course he's my friend. Besides, he obviously just wants to know what food we want. There's not a lot of places open this late. He's not a mind reader.”

“Bulma, please…” Kakarot mumbled, eyes still on the floor.

“Kakarot, stand up,” she said.

His eyes darted nervously to the Prince. Vegeta cleared his throat, unsure what to do but damn sure he'd do it with authority. “Do you not follow her orders?”

Kakarot jumped to his feet, but still bowed low.

“Now, if you wouldn't mind, can you grab us some ramen from that little shop down the street?”

“I… I have the ability to go anywhere, you know. I could bring you any food you desire.”

“Can't beat good ramen, I'm sure,” she smiled.

“Stop questioning her,” Vegeta snapped.

“Yes, My Lord!” Kakarot said, popping away immediately.

“Would you cut that out?” She growled.

“Cut what out?”

“Being a dick. He's trying to help.”

Clearly, she did not understand the basics of hell's social structure. “Woman,  _ I am the Prince _ . That underling's power level is so low he'd be flattered if I was the one to behead him.”

“Says who?”

“That -- that's just how it works!”

“Well, the Kakarot I've been talking to for a month doesn't sound like that at all. You might want to check where you're getting your information.”

“Excuse me?”

“It wouldn't kill you to be nice. We're trying to have a  _ date,  _ which makes Kakarot our waiter. I don't date guys who are mean to the waiter.”

The demon was back incredibly quickly, setting two bowls of steaming ramen in front of them and then falling back into his deep bow. “Can I get you anything else, My Lord?”

Bulma cleared her throat. Vegeta gritted his teeth. This woman knew nothing, and he owed no kindness to a third class... but the idea of being kicked out of this ‘date’ was not an agreeable one. “That will be all… Thank you.”

Kakarot looked up in surprise, but did not press his luck. He simply nodded and was gone again.

“Was that so hard?”

“Let us eat, if that is what you require to be ready for sex.” He looked down. “The imbecile forgot our silverware! Call him again!”

She rolled her eyes, strolling back into the kitchen. “I have forks, Vegeta.”

He winced to hear his name used so casually, without his title. At the very least, he was always referred to as Prince Vegeta, but usually he was given an honorific such as My Lord or Your Highness. It was strange hearing it now, alone, from her lips. His name felt stripped naked, and he imagined her yelling it later. He was surprised to find how much he enjoyed that idea.

He expected to eat in silence, but she never stopped 'chatting’ as she put it. She talked about her company and the month since he'd been gone. He just listened, wondering why this was her preferred build up to sex.

“And I had a question for you,” she finished. “The last time you were here, just before you left, you mentioned that having a baby with me wasn't your choice. What does that mean? Whose choice is it?”

He didn't answer immediately. He slurped up another forkful of ramen, chewing thoughtfully.

“Are you not allowed to tell me either? I asked Kakarot, and he kind of went Error 404 on me.”

He snorted. “Elites have privileges that underlings do not. The Council cannot hear me. My words are my own. You are correct, having a child is not my choice. I am bound by duty.”

“What duty?”

“Hell must have a king and a prince, and the Council wants the new heir to be half human. Once the child is brought to the underworld I will be coronated as king.”

“What about the current king? Doesn't he have something to say about that?”

“My father is dead.”

“Oh. I'm sorry. Was it recent?”

“No. It's been several years. Eight, I think. I have been… resistant to this idea. Besides, they chose you as a candidate, but you had no reason to strike a deal with us before your company began to suffer.”

“Eight years? I've had demons watching me for  _ eight years _ ? Were you?”

“I looked in once or twice out of curiosity. You seemed like a normal, weak human at the time. I was… mistaken. You are strange.”

“Said the literal Prince of Hell.”

He chuckled. “Have you finished eating? We have one hour and thirteen minutes remaining.”

Her eyes snapped open, and she hopped up. “Holy shit! That flew by. Yeah, let's go to the bedroom.”

“That seems unnecessary,” he smirked, catching her wrist as she went past him and pulling her into his lap. She was so  _ warm _ ; that had struck him the last time as well. He knew heat. Home was hot, a burning furnace he'd been born in and adapted to easily, but she was different. Her warmth settled into his bones without searing his skin, and he'd craved the way she felt wrapped around him since they last parted.

She tangled her hands in his hair and he moaned against her mouth, sliding up the bottom of her dress. This was dangerous. He could get used to this.

He slid his robe open easily and tossed it away, planning to take her right there in the chair, but she apparently had other ideas. She stepped away, and his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. She lowered herself down and grabbed his shaft, taking him between her lips into her wet mouth.

He gasped, grabbing onto the lip of her table and feeling the wood groan in protest under his strength. He'd wanted this the last time, and she had refused. What had changed? He tried to keep his focus. The last time he'd done what was always required of him if he wanted a woman; he gestured to the ground in front of him and waited. She had  _ not _ liked that. Had he done something she  _ did _ like tonight?

He winced. This couldn't be because of that underling he'd been kind to, could it? What a strange woman to enjoy such a thing. If such a small act earned him this he could manage that in the future. He was starting to find patterns in her fascinating behavior.

Wait, no, what was he thinking? This was the last time, or near the last at the least. Soon she would be pregnant, and they'd have no more reason to ever interact with each other. He needed to treat this as what it was-- a business transaction, a duty he was bound to for his kingdom.

Her tongue made a slow journey from the base of his cock to the top, and it became harder to stay distant. Everywhere she touched he felt those painless flames, so intense he kept a watch on his skin to see if she was scorching him, but he wouldn't stop her if she was.

“Enough,” he tried to say in a firm voice, but it came out breathily, like a request.

She nodded, standing up, and he picked her up to set her on the table's edge. She took him in easier this time, but he still let out a shuddering breath when he was fully inside. “You're so tight,” he murmured against her skin.

She held onto his back while he picked up speed, slamming into her and making them doubt the table's durability. His hand stayed between them, tracing tight circles around her clit. The table didn't last.

In the early morning they laid on her couch together, her head on his chest.

“Do demons sleep?” She asked as he yawned. His tail was wrapped around her almost subconsciously. She stroked it experimentally, and he did not stop her. He did not admit to her how nice it felt.

“Yes. Not out of necessity, but it's pleasant.”

“May I ask you a question?”

He snorted. Had she finally decided to treat him as a superior? He opened an eye to see her sincere face. No, shit, she was asking permission because it was personal. He sighed. “Yes. I do not guarantee an answer.”

“You said your father was dead.”

“Yes.”

“But like… where is he? You live in hell. Where did he go?”

He grumbled. “Humans are spoiled. They do not know the privileges they have. Only humans have immortal souls. When a demon dies he is dead. They do not 'go’ anywhere. Those are the rules.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “That's what Kakarot always says. ‘The rules’. Who makes the rules? You? The Council?”

“No. They just are, and we must follow.”

She pointed questioningly to the ceiling.

He shrugged.

“Will my son have to follow them?”

“We do not know. There's always been a legend that princes of old had children with human women, but it's been millennia, and it became taboo. We do not now why they stopped, but we see no harm in trying it.” He surveyed the damage to her table. “Tell Kakarot to fix that. It shouldn't be difficult.”

“You can't do it?”

“I could. Small tasks like that are beneath me. My power is reserved for battle.”

“Theoretical battles. Don't you think after seven centuries you can probably stop checking around corners?”

“I must be ready.”

She rolled her eyes. “If you're the strongest then what could--”

Her alarm blared, and he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first of three amazing art works done for this fic. This one was done by Arinano. You can find her on twitter!  
> https://twitter.com/arinanodraws
> 
> Also, I've just joined Twitter too. You can find me at @EBKFICS.

She caught some sleep, waking in the late afternoon and wandering into the kitchen in her robe to find some food. She'd gotten what she wanted-- a genuine conversation with the strange prince. She decided he was far from what she had been anticipating. He was gentle where she expected roughness, and she had to remind herself often that he was evil. Perhaps he was a little standoffish, but that clearly came from his upbringing as a prince. He didn't know any better. After all, he'd been nice to Kakarot at her insistence, right?

_ Damnit, Bulma. This is just like when you used to cruise the detention hall for dates _ , she thought.  _ This is your MO. Find a bad boy, make excuses for him, catch feelings and then bang him. Well, not necessarily in that order. _ She rolled her eyes at the sight of her ruined table.

“Kakarot? Can you come here?” she called sipping her coffee.

A demon appeared in front of her, but not the one she expected. Raditz stood before her, a goofy smile on his face. “You rang?”

“Raditz...uh, hi. Not that I'm not glad to see you, but where is Kakarot?”

“He took a sick day.”

“Demons get sick days?”

“Once every ten years, so… you better be damn sick. I'm your second. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, uh, the Prince broke my table last night.”

Raditz turned to see the ruined wood splintered across her tiles. He snorted. “Damn, Girl! You only have to get pregnant, not bring the house down. Is this why the Prince didn't bitch about coming up a second time? You must be bringing your ‘A’ game. Too bad you're earmarked for him. I kind of want some of that.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he laughed loudly. “Oh, relax. If I touched the Prince's intended baby mama I'd be flayed alive. Besides, it'd only be once, and I don't want to risk wanting a second round,” he winked.

“What… what do you mean only once?”

“It's not safe for a demon to have sex with the same human repeatedly. I mean, casual flings are fine. If you're dumb you can even stretch it to four or five times, but any more is against the rules. Don't worry, the prince should be fine. That's one reason we're timing your cycle so carefully. The fewer encounters the better. So did you call me to talk about the demonic birds and evil bees, or…?”

“The table. Could you fix it?”

Raditz snorted, snapping his fingers. The wood sprung from the floor and reformed until she couldn't tell it had even been broken. “Is that all?”

“Yep. Thanks.”

Raditz crossed his arms. “I was expecting way more work. It feels like Kakarot is always here dealing with your demands. He spends hours on your house calls. Doesn't he?”

She swallowed nervously. Kakarot definitely spent hours here, just not in her apartment. “Yeah, he does. Sorry, I'm a finicky bitch.”

Raditz shrugged. “Good, your kid will fit right into royalty. I'll be off then. Call me if you need anything… at all,” he winked, disappearing.

Bulma ran from her apartment, not even bothering to change out of her robe. She pounded on Chichi's door, waiting an agonizingly long time before her friend answered.

Chichi looked her up and down. “Bulma, what's--”

Bulma pushed her inside. “Is Kakarot here?”

“Yes. He's in our-- I mean he's in bed.”

Bulma covered her face. “Chi, I hate to ask, but I have to know. How many times have you guys had sex?”

Chichi blushed. “Bulma, that's private.”

“I know, sorry, just tell me.”

“Oh, well… I'd say two or three times…”

“Thank the gods--”

“A day. Since last month.”

“A  _ day,  _ Chichi? That's like… at least sixty times! What the hell?”

“You know how they get when they start eating and just don't stop? That extends to other appetites too, apparently.”

“Chichi, how could you let him do that? They'll punish the crap out of him, and all the punishments I heard of so far were just fancy ways of saying 'murder’.”

“What?” She cried out. “Punish him? Why?”

“Didn't he tell you? Demons aren't allowed to have sex with humans more than a few times. It's against 'the rules’ or whatever. Raditz just told me it's not healthy.”

She blinked. “What? No, he didn't tell me anything!”

“Is he sick?”

Chichi stomped away from her and Bulma followed close behind. Kakarot was laying in her bed, pillow over his head. She grabbed the pillow and pulled it away, and he winced slightly. Bulma jumped; he wasn't even hiding his demon form anymore but Chichi did not seem perturbed by it.

“Goku, are you breaking the rules by being here?”

Bulma looked at her. “What? Who's Goku?”

Chichi blushed. “It's just… a nickname. It means cloud. Kakarot is kind of a mouthful.”

“Yeah I am. High five, Babe,” Kakarot muttered, holding up his hand.

She smacked it away. “Answer my question. Bulma says it's against the rules for a demon to have sex with a human more than a few times. Is that true?”

He mumbled against the mattress.

“Answer me, Goku.”

“Yes, it is. Sorry, Chi.”

She sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing a worried hand through his hair. “Then why are you  _ here _ ? Is this why you're sick?”

“I dunno. I never broke a rule before.”

“You should have told me.”

“I know.”

“Why did you do it?”

He sighed. “I like you, Chi. I didn't want to worry you.”

Bulma rubbed her temples. “Chichi, are you dating this fucking demon? No offense, Kakarot.”

“None taken,” he mumbled.

“Maybe,” she admitted.

“This was supposed to be casual, Chichi,” she groaned. “What are you doing?”

Chichi kept her arms crossed defiantly, but she was blushing deeply. 

Bulma sighed. “Maybe I should ask Vegeta what to do.”

Kakarot sat up, his eyes wide. “Are you insane? The Prince? He'd have me executed before dinner! His name would be the one on my death warrant for breaking the rules.”

“You've got him wrong. I think if I asked him nicely to help he'd listen.”

“Well, I'm dead then,” Kakarot sighed. “Chichi, will you make steak again and fuck me real quick before my gruesome death?”

“Oh, Bulma, you can't tell!” Chichi begged. “Please? Just help me take care of him.”

“What are his symptoms? What do you have, like, evil syphilis?”

Kakarot opened his mouth...and kept opening. It stretched his face, and his eyes turned a deep onyx. He let out an inhuman shriek that vibrated the walls. 

“Guilty!” The shriek echoed in dozens of voices. Bulma jumped back but Chichi just waited. The shriek ended and his mouth closed, eyes fading back to normal as he coughed. “Mostly that.”

“It's been happening all day,” Chichi fretted, wringing her hands.

“That's going to be hard to gloss over. You only get one sick day, how are you going to keep this under wraps?”

“You're my only client. They wanted to be sure the Prince's intended had full access. No one else is on my caseload. If you just pretend you're using me constantly I won't have to go back.”

“Why would I need you constantly? Apparently you've got all of hell thinking I'm some demanding bitch because you're always here with Chichi.”

“It's...it's early but let me check anyway,” Kakarot muttered, sliding a hand under her shirt and flattening his palm against her belly. After a few seconds, a grin lit up his face. “You're pregnant. This is perfect! We'll just tell the Council you want constant surveillance until the baby's born.”

“I… I'm pregnant…” she muttered, replacing his hand with her own. That meant her contact with Vegeta was over. She would never seen him again.

“Please, Bulma?” Chichi asked grabbing her arm.

“Uh, yeah. If anyone asks, I've moved Kakarot into my spare room so he can help me with the baby.”

Chichi threw her arms around her, and Kakarot hugged both of them. “I'm not dead yet! I'd still  _ really _ like some steak.”

\----------------------------

  


Hell was better designed than one might have expected.

Sure the fire, caves, and brimstone stuff still existed, but that was for the human souls that had chosen their fate, and it was on the opposite end of the realm from Vegeta's chambers. He had a large, open suite, complete with an enormous bed, fireplace, training area, a well stocked kitchen and and a master bath. There was really no reason for him to ever leave, which was fortunate.

Because he wasn't allowed to.

When he was young, it'd been easier to believe the lie. There was no reason for him to leave his chambers when he could be training, so why bother? The Council could take care of the day to day business of running hell to free him up for more important manners. Eventually the illusion had fallen away.

He was not a leader.

He was a prisoner.

Hell had to have a king and a prince. Those were the rules. But the more powerful beings of the underworld had long since grown tired of living in a monarchy. They kept the Royal Family around and paid their respects, seeing that they lived in complete luxury, but he knew what he was.

A pet.

They put his name on edicts, death warrants, and executive decisions, but he never saw any of them. To the underlings he was a terrifying boogeyman. To the elites he was nothing. Lead Councilman Frieza had more power than he ever had.

He had his small victories. Like he'd insisted on the specifications for his future progeny's mother, and his requirements were so specific that it took them years to get her in the right spot. Now that she was ready though, he had no choice but to follow their directives. He was not strong enough to take on all of hell on his own. His father had already made that mistake eight years before.

_ Should I tell her? _ he wondered.  _ Should she know that when her future son arrives here he will be a prisoner? _

There was a knock on his door, and he rolled his eyes. The door was for show mostly. It did not open, and he could not freely travel the realm without their permission. They could not put restrictions on his weekly ability to visit Earth, although he rarely used the opportunity.

“Enter.”

A second class demon woman appeared, forehead pressed against the ground and tail wrapped around her waist in respect.

“Speak.”

“My Lord, I bring news from the demon Kakarot.”

Kakarot? The one Bulma had insisted he be nice to? “Why does he not deliver the news himself?”

“That is part of the news, Sire. Your intended has fallen pregnant. You are victorious. She has requested her contact stay with her full time until the child's birth.”

Then he would not being seeing her again. He narrowed his eyes. “Why does she need him?”

The woman faltered a moment. “In case she requires him.”

Requires him? The child was just a cell. Why did she want that third class to stay with her full time? A new emotion bubbled beneath his skin, one he hadn't had to face before.

Jealousy.

He growled low in his throat, looking at the demon woman with a deadly glare.

“My Lord?” She asked meekly.

He snapped his fingers and pointed at the ground at his feet. She scampered forward immediately, sliding down the front of his pants and taking him into her mouth, trying to stroke him to his full length. Because he told her too. Because she feared him.

He pushed her away. “I've changed my mind. You are dismissed.”

“Of course, My Lord,” she said disappearing in an instant.

The damn woman had ruined his enjoyments, ruined everything. The women did not excite him,  and his gourmet meals tasted like ash, nothing compared to the stupid meal he'd had at her pathetically weak table. Where was the challenge when they all kowtowed to his every whim? It was absurd.

Could she really be allowing the third class into her bed as well? It would explain her defense of him. Was he sure the child was even his? He glanced at the week encompassing clock on his wall. There were several days left to go until he'd be allowed to go to Earth, if he wanted to.

He might just take the opportunity this time.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More lovely art from Arinano!
> 
> You can find me on Twitter at @EBKFICS.

 

Bulma was almost asleep. It made no sense for pregnancy symptoms to start so soon, and at first she'd been convinced she was imagining them. She felt sick in the morning already, tired in the afternoon, and woke up all night at the drop of a hat. She was only a week along.

She'd asked Kakarot about it the day before while they sat on Chichi's couch. Was it possible the child's strange origin was dooming her to a weird-ass pregnancy?

“I dunno,” he shrugged.

“You  _ don't know _ ? What do you mean you don't know?”

The demon sighed and laid his head against the table. He still felt ill, and the shriek still echoed from his mouth every few hours. “I'm having trouble remembering everything. There's just so much. So many rules and wisdoms… it's hard to keep track.”

“I thought they were 'seared onto your brain with hellfire’ like you said.”

“They are. I just… I don't care anymore. I haven't even been back to the underworld for a whole week. It's like… the longer I'm away the less important it all feels.”

She was starting to worry about him, but Chichi seemed so happy that she didn't voice it. Maybe it wasn't good for a demon to stay on Earth for so long.

She'd woken up again tonight at about 4:30, and she was hoping she could get a bit more sleep before the morning sickness started. She was beginning to drift right on the edge between being awake and being lost in a pleasant dream.

“Woman.” A quiet voice whispered.

Oh, good. Maybe she was going to dream about him. She smiled and settled deeper into the pillows. She wished he had some reason to come back. Maybe she could complain about the pregnancy restrictions they had her on? They weren't really awful yet, she just had to be careful in general, but some of the contract she was willing to fight. There was some messed up stuff about raw meat for protein later on.

“Bulma,” the voice whispered again.

She opened her eyes and jumped back. He stood a foot from her bed, arms crossed. He was not wearing the robe this time, but a sleek black unitard with thick white gloves over his hands.

“Vegeta?” She asked, switching on the bedside light. “Why are you here? How are you here? Didn't they tell you I'm already pregnant?”

“It has been a week, I can come here if I like,” he grumbled. “Where is he?”

“Who?”

“I half expected to find him in your bed, but he seems to be smarter than that. I'd have killed him in his sleep.”

_ “Who?” _

“Kakarot, of course,” he rolled his eyes. “Your little third class boytoy.”

She couldn't help the hard chuckle the escaped her mouth. “I'm sorry, what? Why the hell would I be in bed with Kakarot?”

“You tell me. You tell me why a woman who is one week pregnant needs constant ‘assistance’ from a demon.”

She faltered, almost forgetting the cover up she was involved in. “Uh, you know, I just want to be safe. Considering they told me I'd never see you again, I thought someone should be around.”

“I am here.”

“Yeah. You want to get in bed? We could cuddle a while before you have to leave.”

His eyes darted over the tempting bed, somehow warmer than his own despite the temperature of his realm. “No. I want Kakarot. Produce him.”

“He's not here right now.”

He narrowed his eyes. “He's supposed to be with you full time. He has not been back to his post in a week.”

“I… I mean he's here, just not  _ here _ , you know? I… sent him on an errand. To buy me… pickles.”

“Pickles?”

“It's a thing pregnant ladies crave. Look it up.”

“Are 'pickles’ hard to procure?”

“Uh… they can be.”

“Then I will wait here for ten minutes. That is plenty of time to bring you anything. If he is not back--”

“Why do you even want to see  _ Kakarot _ ?” she asked, placing extra emphasis on the last word. If he heard her calling maybe he'd be smart enough to get over here.

“I can make a third class tell me the truth. If I give the order he will tell me  _ everything _ . Anything you'd like to confess?”

She gulped. Did he know the demon was playing hooky? “I don't know what you're talking about.”

His eyes darkened. “You're lying to me. You reek of guilt. You're fucking that third class clown, aren't you?”

She gaped at him. “What? No!”

“You would  _ have _ to deny it. If you were carrying his child instead of mine your deal would be broken.” He took a big step forward and laid a firm hand against her middle, face set like he was going to prove some deep personal injustice. He waited a moment, and then his eyes went big as he stepped back. “It's mine.”

“No shit, Sherlock. Now if you're done accusing me of being a slut I am waiting for KAKAROT to bring me my damn pickles,” she said, calling his name loudly again.

“You could still be sleeping with him. I will wait here.”

“Why do you care?”

“What?”

“As long as I'm carrying your baby, why does it matter who I have sex with?”

He looked away from her. “It… it is a matter of pride. If hell saw that my child's mother had taken a third class nothing to her bed it would hurt my reputation.”

She stared at him a long moment. “Are you… jealous?”

He sputtered. “Absolutely not!”

She smirked, tossing a hand behind her head. “Stop being a royal asshole and get into bed.”

He stared at her, and she could see the gears turning his head. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with her, but his pride kept him at bay. “Not until I have proof that you did not betray me.”

She scoffed. “Excuse me?  _ Betray _ you? We're not like,  _ together. _ This is just about procreation, right?”

He looked away.

“Right?”

Vegeta took a deep breath, and when he looked back at her his eyes were a deep black with gold rimmed around the edges. “What have you done, Woman? Nothing is worth anything below, now. The food is bland; the women hold no allure. It is good I do not need sleep, because I've had none of it.”

“What do you  _ want _ , Vegeta? Why are you really here?”

“I don't understand you, and I hate that. Or I don't hate it, and that pisses me off.”

She patted the bed next to her. “I really don't mind you. If you want to be here once a week, that's okay with me.”

He gritted his teeth. “Are you letting anyone else into your bed, or am I the only one?”

“You're it. Since before we met, for a long while. And I guess… if you'll do the same, I could agree to keep it that way. Kind of like… we  _ were _ together.”

“Together?”

“I mean dating.”

He huffed. “The Prince of Hell does not date.”

“Fine. Like a family then. I am pregnant with your son, after all. Would it be such a terrible thing if his parents got along?”

“I… I still wish to see whatever the third class is hiding from me.”

“I don't think Kakarot would--”

There was a pop, and the Kakarot stood feet from them, completely naked. “Bulma, what? We're busy--” He caught sight of the prince and froze.

Vegeta growled deep in his throat and the lower class demon dropped to the floor, pressing his forehead against the wood. “So,” the prince snapped, “are you going to tell me again that this simpleton has not had you? Is that why he feels comfortable appearing in your bedroom naked?”

“Forgive me, My Lord!” Kakarot begged. “I did not know you were here. I would never insult you on purpose!”

“I will not forgive! Have you slept with this human?”

“No, My Lord!”

Vegeta paused. Such a low class could not lie to him,  _ physically _ could not lie to him. But there had to be an explanation. Why keep him if she wasn't interested in him?

The door to the bedroom burst open and Chichi stood panting in the doorway, wearing only an enormous t-shirt that must have belonged to Kakarot because it hung like a dress on her small frame. “Goku! Are you o--” She caught sight of Vegeta and let out a small scream. “No! Please don't take him!”

Vegeta ignored her and pointed a finger at the demon. “Confess your sins.”

They heard him grumble against the floor, trying to disobey but failing. “I… I have fallen in love with a human, My Lord.”

“With my Bulma!”

“No! I love Chichi! Please, do what you want with me, but leave her alone!”

“Oh, Goku!” She cried dropping down to wrap her hands around his prostrate form.

The prince dropped his hand, relieved but appalled. “You... you've grown attached to a human? How  _ dare _ you? That is one of the worst transgressions in our realm. You'll be eviscerated for this.” Vegeta jumped when he felt Bulma's hand on his shoulder.

“Please. Don't hurt him. I told the truth before. Kakarot is my friend.”

“He is a criminal,” he said, almost tenderly, regretfully. “He knew the rules and broke them.”

“Can't you see why? Would you break a rule to come see me, Vegeta?”

He growled, his fingers curling into a fist.

“Please. Vegeta. For me. Don't hurt him.”

“You act as though it is up to me what happens to him.”

“Isn't it? You're the prince.”

“I've seen the death warrants before, your name is on them,” Kakarot begged. “If you chose to spare me--”

“I have nothing to do with the death warrants, okay? My name means nothing. My position means nothing! I am kept in a room all day, catered on like a prized pig! Your fate is not in my hands.”

The other demon considered this a moment. “But it is. You're the only one in the underworld who knows about this. Please, just don't tell.”

“How dare you even ask such a--”

“For me, Vegeta,” Bulma reminded him. “Don't turn him in.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but the sun chose that moment to peek over the horizon. He was gone.

\---------------------

  


“I'm sorry, Kakarot. He wanted to see you, and he would have torn you apart if you kept him waiting--”

“It's my fault,” the demon moped pitifully, sipping the hot tea she'd given him. He was hunkered down on her couch with a blanket over his waist, Chichi folded nervously next to him. “You tried to warn me. If you really wanted me you'd have just knocked on Chichi’s door.”

“Why the hell did you come over naked? You couldn't have thrown some shorts on? Don't you have any modesty at all?”

He blinked. “Modesty? Uh, I don't think third classes are born with that.”

“That would explain a lot.”

He sighed a dropped a hand on Chichi's knee. “Well, we should say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?” She asked, grabbing his arm.

“They'll send someone to collect me any moment.”

“Not if Vegeta keeps your secret,” Bulma said.

Kakarot scoffed at her. “Come on. I'm toast.”

“I trust him.”

“You barely know him. You've just banged him a few times. That doesn't make you besties.”

She sighed. “I wish I could talk to him before next week. Can I like, Ouija Board him?”

“Don't work,” Kakarot said, “but you don't need one. It depends whether he's got you on an internal list, but you might be able to just talk to him. Just say his name and start talking. He can't respond but… maybe it could do some good towards convincing him.”

She nodded, wondering just what you say in a one way conversation with the Prince of Hell.

\---------------

  


He laid back on his bed, alone, as always. This was absurd. Why hadn't he reported the third class yet? This responsibility did not fall on him as a prince, but as a member of his species. You always reported rule breakers.

More importantly, Kakarot was doing something even worse than loving a human, he was neglecting his duty. Clearly he was not paying close attention to his charge. She said his name several times, and he took forever to respond. Since his charge happened to be the mother of the prince's unborn child, this was more than unacceptable. What if she had been in real danger?

No, he'd made up his mind. The woman may be angry at him for a while, but she did not understand their world. Someday when their son had to abide by the rules she would.

He stood to call a member of The Council to report what he had seen.

_ “Vegeta?” _

He froze as her voice echoed in his skull. He'd added her to his list of those allowed to call him only days before, never expecting anything to come from it. He hadn't even told her about it.

_ “I'm not sure you can hear me,” she said. “Kakarot says if you can you couldn't answer anyway, so I won't expect a response. I just… I wanted to ask you one more time. Please don't turn him in.” _

He gritted his teeth.

_ “Look, I don't know what this thing we have going on is. One minute you seem to like me and the next you don't. You're confusing as hell, no pun intended. Just when I think I've misunderstood, and you don't want to get into bed with me, you suddenly go all jealous and accuse him of having sex with 'your Bulma’, whatever that means. What I do know is that the guy I think you are wouldn't have someone killed just because they fell in love. If that is the kind of man you are, then there really is nothing between us, because I've judged you wrong. I know I can't see you until next week. I hope you come and we can all sit down and talk.” _

He scoffed. If she thought she could blackmail him, she had another thing coming. He thought about calling for the councilman for a long moment. He didn't. He dropped back down on the bed, wondering how this strange woman could command him so easily.

Once she realized she might be able to talk to him, she didn't stop. He was in the shower the next day when her voice returned.

_ “Vegeta? Hey it's me. I'm just getting ready for work, standing in my bathroom and talking to myself like a loon.” _

He smirked.

_ “I've really got no reason to bug you, I'm just kind of bored. Barfing all the time, by the way, so thanks for that. I still don't even know if you can hear me. I kind of wish you were here. I'd ask you how hell is. Do you have weather? That's probably a dumb question. It's raining today. I like the rain.” _

On a normal day, he'd train for more than ten hours, but today he mainly stayed still and listened, occasionally doing less intense workouts that wouldn't break his concentration on her. She didn't talk all day. She was working after all, and she had to say his name for him to start listening in. The channel would fade after a while if she didn't keep up the conversation. Mostly she called to him when she had something to report.

_ “Vegeta, holy shit,” _ she whispered at him at lunch.  _ “You should see this new car my assistant just bought. He turned thirty-eight Sunday, and comes in this week with a bright red sports car shaped like a penis. What's midlife for a demon? I guess you don't really have to compensate for anything. No, I don't know how big Kebbard's penis is, don't ask, I just assume it's a size thing because this car, Man… it's a cry for help.” _

He snorted, drawing the attention of the servant boy setting his food on front of him.

“My Lord?”

“Nothing. Mind your own business.”

“Of course, My Lord.”

He wished she would give more details about the car, or that he could see it. His eyes darted over to the clock on the wall. Damn. Six days left until he could visit again. He had never felt the need to escape his chambers so sharply before.

_ “Vegeta, Veronica stole my yogurt out of the fridge. Why am I telling you? Because no one here will believe me. She's got them all wrapped around her passive aggressive finger.” _

“That bitch,” he muttered, swinging at his punching bag.

_ “I'm the boss, I should fire her, but I can't prove shit. Feels like I have no power around here some time. These lucky bastards have no idea we're prospering because I'm playing demon-baby incubator. No offense.” _

The reports got more frequent once she was home alone.  _ “I'm thinking about visiting Chichi before bed. I just hope they're not at it again. I swear they're like rabbits. Is that like a demon thing? Like if you could be here all the time would you be all over me? I mean, I guess there's probably some demon bitch taking care of that for you, which is… fine. It's not like we're married or something. You got really fucking jealous of Kakarot though, you hypothetical hypocrite.” _

He wished he could have told her he hadn't. Not since their first time.

_ “So I tried to visit Chichi,” _ she told him a half hour later.  _ “They weren't there. Neither of them. I think they're on a date. That's so not fair. They get so much more time than us. Hey, why does Kakarot not have trouble staying on Earth? He once told me he had the ability come multiple times a day. But he never said he could stay permanently.” _

Vegeta frowned. She was right, and he hadn't considered it. Beyond being against the rules, it shouldn't be possible for Kakarot to stay so long. He should be pulled back after a while.

_ “Maybe it has to do with him being sick. He didn't always stick around in the beginning. He was just a booty call that grew on her. Then he started feeling weird and… they've been different since then. They act like a real couple. She doesn't even seem to notice when he's straight up in demon form.” _

He glanced at his mirror, wondering if she should know what he really looked like. He never kept his disguise up in his chambers. Okay, so he didn't have red skin, he was teasing her, but he didn't look as human as Kakarot did. His horns, for one, were longer and curled back against his temples. His eyes were a deeper onyx with no whites, just gold tipped around the edges. His teeth were sharp enough to warn humans that he was a predator. Yet he still felt that perhaps she wouldn't run from this.

_ “Oh crap, I'm out of coffee. I'm going to have to run to the coffee shop in the morning, and there's no way I'm going to convince myself to wake up early to do that. So yeah I'll be late tomorrow. They can suck it. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Talk at you tomorrow.” _

He drummed his fingers against his table. A whole day had passed of her talking constantly, and he was not annoyed. If anything he was annoyed that she would be silent while she slept. How had he entertained himself before this? Everything in his spacious chamber appeared smaller, less fulfilling.

He waited a good hour to be sure she was asleep before he made his move.

“Servant,” he called.

A demon appeared immediately, bowing low. “My Lord?”

“Bring me the third class, Raditz.”

“Of course, My Lord.”

In a matter of minutes Raditz knelt before him, head to the ground. “My Lord, they said you sent for me.”

“My child's mother requires assistance.”

“Yes, My Lord. My brother Kakarot is with her full time.”

“He is on another errand for her at the moment,” he lied. Lying was unusual for their kind. They were supposed to be unapologetic and blunt. “Why am I explaining myself to a third class?”

“Of course! Apologies! I will travel to her immediately.”

“No, wait, she is asleep. Don't wake her, just go to her kitchen and find out what kind of coffee she uses, and bring her more. Make sure to leave it out on the counter so she knows it's there.”

Raditz shifted uncomfortably. “My Lord, technically caffeine is one of the substance she agreed to give up upon successful conception--”

“Are you questioning me?”

“No, My Lord. It will be done immediately.”

“Dismissed,” he spat, waving his hand.

He tried to sleep as well, and managed a few hours. He kept a closer eye on the time on Earth than he normally did, having no idea what time her alarm would go off. It was around 7:40 when he heard her.

_ “Vegeta! Was this you? I can't think of who else it could have been. Kakarot didn't know I was out. I only told you. Holy shit, it's my brand and everything! You're an angel...uh...you know, figuratively. I'm going to feel less like a crazy person knowing you can actually hear me.” _

He chuckled, returning to light training and keeping his focus on her. It wasn't raining today, she said, so she might go running after work. Maybe she would hit Chichi up and see how the date went mainly to see how Kakarot did in public. She lined out her day, and he listened. It was all he could do.

Even the work she complained of sounded more fun than his prison. The same walls every single day for so many years; how had he managed it? His visit to Earth couldn't come fast enough.

When the day wound down he got ready to wait again. Maybe he'd try to sleep on her schedule to cut down on wasted time. He cut the lights to the room and laid in his bed, naked the way he usually slept. He thought she was asleep, but she wasn't.

_ “Vegeta? Holy shit, I wish you were here.” _

He frowned. Was she upset? It didn't sound like it.

_ “I'm so horny. I've got two fingers inside, but it's not doing the trick.” _

_ Fuck _ . He was hard almost instantly, imagining her. She was touching herself right now, thinking of him. Talking to him, when she knew he could hear.

_ “Mmm, this has got to be a pregnancy symptom. I don't get like this often. I'm too busy. Or maybe you've spoiled me. Who wants a couple lousy fingers when you've had that thick of a cock?” _

He grasped himself, stroking firmly. His heart beat faster.  _ Damn _ the rules. He wanted to be next to her so badly.

_ “They're on my clit, now. It's so swollen, and I've made it all slippery. I bet your hand would feel better. Or better yet, your mouth. We haven't tried that.” _

He wanted to.  _ Gods _ he wanted to. His eyes screwed shut as he worked himself roughly and listened to her.

_ “I just put a toy in, but it's not big enough. Fuck. I need you.” _

It was the change in temperature he noticed first. Her room was cooler than his. His eyes popped open to find he was no longer in his bed, but in hers. He turned to look at her in shock, but she hadn't noticed his presence.

She hadn't been lying. She had her head thrown back as she lay naked on her sheets. A toy was buried deep inside of her, and her fingers worked her clit desperately, seeking release.

He didn't pause to think about how he was here; he didn't care. He just grabbed the toy and pulled it from her, replacing it with his greedy mouth. She seemed shocked for a fraction of a moment, he hadn't had time to disguise himself and she saw the real him buried between her legs, but the sight of that familiar shock of hair must have reassured her. He felt her hands slide though his locks, unabashedly touching the sides of his horns.

“Vegeta,” she moaned, wrapping a leg across his shoulders. “I need it.”

He crawled up her body, pushing into her roughly. She'd been teasing herself a long time, and the added stimulation pushed her immediately over the edge. He kissed her hard as he set a fast pace, hands gripping her like she'd slip away at any moment. His tail wrapped itself firmly around her leg, anchoring him.

Then, for reasons neither of them knew consciously, they slowed. His movements became less frantic, their kisses less frenzied. They built up slowly together, unspoken words passing between them.

She came again, just before him, and she clung to him. “Don't go.”

“I want to stay,” he muttered against her neck.

Then he was gone, back in his own bed so suddenly that he could have convinced himself it was a dream if she wasn't still speaking to him.

_ “Damn. I guess you couldn't stay. How did you get here? I thought it was impossible until the week was up?” _

It was supposed to be. He rubbed his face. Something was not right.


	6. Chapter 6

It was 3AM on the dot when he appeared in her room. She was already waiting for him, and there was no hesitation. She threw her arms around him and kissed him hard, and he held her very close. After a long moment he pulled away.

“I've been forced to hold back my responses for a week, so prepare. Firstly, Veronica is a whore. Say the word and I give the order to make her life suck. I can't personally kill her, but--”

“Chichi and Goku are here.”

“Who's Goku?”

“It's what we've been calling Kakarot since… well, you'll see. They're in the living room.”

“Why?”

“We need to talk. All of us. There's a plan.”

He grimaced. “I was hoping… nevermind.”

“No, tell me.”

“I wanted to leave the apartment. I've never felt so cooped up in my life. It's like I hadn't been alive at all until--”

“Keep that thought. It's on the agenda, you'll see. Also, one more thing. I've told Kakarot not to bow when you're in a room, and he's going to call you Vegeta.”

He growled. “What?”

“It's awkward as hell for me and Chichi. When you are in this apartment, you are not The Prince of Hell, got it? You're just Vegeta, my… what do I call you, anyway?”

“Does that matter?”

“No. It's no one's business. As long as I'm not a side piece.”

He smirked. “There has been no one since you.”

“Good,” she muttered, laying her head against him for a moment. “Wait. Stop distracting me. Meeting time.”

She took his hand and lead him out to the others. He had not bothered to disguise himself today, and he heard the other woman gasp slightly when she caught sight of him. Kakarot's eyes went wide and he saw his muscles tense from memory, but Chichi put a hand on his arm to stop him from groveling. The lesser demon swallowed hard, eyes never leaving the prince as the two sat across them them on a loveseat.

“Thank you,” Kakarot said immediately. “Thank you for how not-dead I am. You didn't turn me in.”

“Third class,” Vegeta grunted out in greeting. Bulma nudged him. “Fine. Kakarot.”

“I told you we've been calling him--”

“I refuse to use that ridiculous human name.”

“You can call me whatever you like, My L-- uh, Vegeta.”

“Take off that ludicrous disguise. Let's at least meet as demons.”

Kakarot rubbed the back of his head, eyes dropping to the floor. “I… can't.”

“What?”

“I'm not wearing a disguise.”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“It was the weirdest thing,” Chichi said, cutting in. “We were just cuddling on the couch and then he got really sick. This black smoke started pouring out of his mouth; it went on for like five minutes. Then it was gone, and he was just--”

“Human,” Vegeta balked.

“Almost,” Kakarot admitted. “I got to keep my tail. But I can't feel it anymore, Sir. The heat, the fear, the need to serve. It just left. All I want to do is be here with Chichi. Look,” he said, parting his hair, “my horns are gone.”

“That… it's impossible!”

“Have you looked in a mirror, Sir? Your horns. They're shorter.”

He grabbed at the hardened tusks, not believing him. It was true. The change wasn't much, but it was there. No one had noticed yet, but someone would. He jumped up. “What is happening to me?”

Bulma shrugged. “I think we've discovered why loving humans is forbidden. Humanity is a sexually transmitted disease for demons. You said you feel more alive. I think it's because you are. That's why you were able to come to me. That's why Kakarot is able to stay here full-time. You're not completely demons anymore.”

He gaped at them, still grabbing his horns. Was he angry? Horrified? He would have been a month ago, certainly. But now? If he was human, he didn't have to stay in Hell in his small prison. He could stay  _ here _ . She'd let him, he knew.

“I… I am turning into a human. If I stay with you, that will be my fate.”

She nodded. He sat down. “You spoke of a plan. To restore us?”

“Not exactly,” Bulma admitted. “We think…”

“We have to run. All of us,” Chichi said. “Hell can't punish you if they can't find you. We'll all go together, strength in numbers. Bulma will set up a proxy to work for her, and we can live off Capsule Corp for the time being.”

“But only if you're on board,” Bulma finished. “I won't go without you.”

“And we don't stand a chance without your help,” Kakarot admitted. “If Hell's servants find us, you're the only one strong enough to fight them off. I feel… stronger, since I became human, but I'm not there yet. I can feel my power growing.”

Growing? That was all wrong. Being human should make him weaker. Vegeta's eyes widened. Would he get stronger as well? “Let's say I agreed to this. What would be the first step?”

“We wait until sunrise,” Bulma said. “This plan only works if you don't have to go back. Maybe you've already changed enough, you did manage to come to me when you shouldn't have been able to.”

“And if it works?”

“We get some sleep, pack up, and go. Today. If we wait someone might come looking for us. But Kakarot says they can't track us, is that true?”

“If we are truly becoming human, then yes. They would have to search. If we kept moving we would be safe -- for now.”

“But I have to ask,” she said suddenly more sheepish. “Do you… want to come with me?”

He looked her over and answered carefully. “There is nowhere else that has any appeal to me.”

“Is that yes?” Chichi grinned. “That sounds like yes! On my goodness, we have to pack. Goku do you need to go back for anything?”

“I own nothing.”

“Right, right, third class, I forget.. Vegeta, what about you?”

He considered it a moment. There were luxuries waiting for him below, but he'd never bought one of them. He did not contribute to anything. It was just a well stocked cage. “I also own nothing.”

“Huh,” Chichi said. “Good thing your sugarmama is loaded, then.”

“True,” Bulma nodded, ignoring his confused look.

“Come on,” Chichi cried, pulling on Kakarot's hand. “Let's get ready. This is so exciting!” She squealed, dragging the former demon behind her.

Bulma smirked at the prince once they were gone. “So, we get about two hours to ourselves. Any ideas about what we should--”

He pounced on her, pressing her back against the couch.

\-------------------------

 

“Chichi, what about this one?” He asked, holding up a shirt.

“No, don't bring that one. It makes you look like a middle-aged dad. Bring the orange one. You look good in orange. It's your color.”

“It is?”

She nodded.

“You look best naked,” he grinned at her goofily.

“Oh, shut up,” she muttered with a blush.

His smile faded as he stared over her shoulder.

“Goku? What's wrong?”

“Please don't hurt her, Ray.”

Chichi spun around and found a very sad looking demon behind her.

“You know I'm not here for her, Ka. I'll leave her alone, for you.”

He nodded, holding his wrists out.

“No!” Chichi cried out, holding her hands up between them. “Don't take him! Please, have a heart! We're happy, just go!”

“You think I want this? You goddamn succubus, this is your fault--”

“Be nice, Ray.”

“No. I'll let her live, but I won't be nice to the woman who killed my baby brother.”

“She didn't know. I didn't tell her until it was too late. Can I say goodbye?”

Raditz sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Okay. Just for a minute. Then I have to bring you to the council.”

“Thanks, Ray,” he said, wrapping his arms around Chichi.

“No!” She repeated. “Goku, we can just run! We don't have to wait for--”

“I have to go, Chichi, and I don't have much time. I have to tell you something. You're pregnant.”

She blinked. “What?”

“About five days, now. I was going to wait until we were on the road to tell you, but I have to do it now. It'll be human, I was human enough when it was conceived, but he might have a few demon characteristics like a tail or something. Ask our friends for help if you need it.” Her eyes watered and he kissed her softly. “Tell the kid I loved you guys.”

“We gotta go, Ka.”

Kakarot nodded and reached out to take his brother's hand. Chichi tried to stop them, but in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

\----------------

 

Chichi sobbed on Bulma's sofa as her friend hugged her. “I'm so sorry, Honey.”

“I don't even know how they found him,” she cried, squeezing the tissue in her hand. She looked at Vegeta suspiciously. “Did you do this?”

Vegeta was already annoyed; he'd had Bulma almost naked in his lap when Chichi had pounded on the door, calling for help. “Watch your tongue, you harping--”

Bulma cleared her throat.

He growled. “No. I did not turn him in.”

She sobbed again. “How could he do that? His own brother.”

Vegeta paled. “His brother? Would that be Bulma's secondary contact?”

She nodded. “He calls him Ray.”

“Raditz,” Vegeta said. “This… might be my fault.”

Chichi was off the couch in an instant, grabbing the Prince of Hell by his collar. “What?”

He looked between the two women who looked about ready to murder him. “What did you do?” Bulma asked.

“The other day I sent Raditz here to replace your coffee.”

“Oh,” she said, covering her mouth. “What did you tell him about Kakarot?”

“I said he was already on an errand. He must have looked into it.”

“You've got to get him back!” Chichi begged, shaking his collar.

He pushed her off of him. “I can't bring people back from the dead, Woman. Even if I was at full power, which I'm assuming I'm not anymore. That's not within our abilities.”

“Do you think he's already dead?” Bulma asked.

He didn't answer immediately.

“He's not dead yet?” Chichi said, grabbing Bulma's arm. “Then I'll go get him. Vegeta, send me to Hell. I'll drag him out myself.”

“He is still alive, because public executions are done on the witching hour only. It's after 4, they'll have to wait a day. But you'd never make it to him. He'd be kept in The Council's cells to await his sentence; that's deep in the main level. Even if you could stand the heat, they'd catch you and throw you in with him.”

“Me? But I didn't break any demon rules. I'm a human!”

“They won't kill you, but if you trespass they can keep you forever, or at least until you die. Then your soul will be stuck there.”

“Then you have to help him! Please, he's in your backyard.”

Vegeta gritted his teeth. “I have never been there either.”

“What? You live there!”

“I've already told you, I am kept in one room! I have only been outside of it a handful of times in my life, let alone deep within the main level. I've been on Earth more than I've been anywhere else in Hell. Besides, he'd be guarded by a half dozen demons--”

“So what you're saying is,” Bulma said, “it'd be a great battle.”

He snorted, a smirk playing on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of The Dark Prince, with the last amazing piece of art at the end, this time by BianWW.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, the Minibang was really fun!

When the sun rose, he did not snap back to his chambers. He had control of it now and could move back and forth as he wished. He chose when to return to his chambers, drunk on the freedom of knowing this was the last time he would see it. He slid on his father's armor, forgoing the traditional cape to keep himself more agile.

He took a last look and cleared his throat. “Servant,” he called.

A young third class male appeared, bowing low. “What can I get you, My Lord?”

“Take me to the main level.”

The male blinked, clearly trying to figure out how to say no without being killed on the spot. They both knew he was not technically allowed to leave, but neither of them were willing to bring it up. “I can bring you anything you ask, My Lord.”

“I wish to be taken to the main level. Immediately.”

“But, My Lord--”

“I will kill you in seven seconds unless you comply.”

“My Lord, perhaps I could speak to The Council and arrange you a private tour--”

Vegeta pulled his father's sword from its scabbard and stabbed the third class, watching him crumple forward onto the carpet.

“Servant!” He called.

Another young demon appeared, moving to bow and then panicking at the sight of his fallen comrade. “What-- what happened?”

“He disobeyed me. Now it's your turn. You have seven seconds to take me to the main level.”

The demon laid a hand on Vegeta's arm, and the room melted away.

Vegeta had a hell of a poker face; it came from his upbringing, and it came in handy as he found himself standing in the deepest pit of his home for the first time. The cavern was wide, wide enough for a small city, and hot enough to kill a human. He felt himself sweating more than he thought he should be. Whatever transformation he was undergoing was definitely changing something beneath his skin.

Demons roamed around them, not paying much attention. Most of them didn't even know what he looked like, he realized. He was just an idea, a terrifying boogeyman whose name was used on their death warrants. He waved the demon away and waltzed fearlessly toward a dark cave leading toward the cells.

The walls were all rock here; it contained none of the modern look of his sector of the realm. When humans pictured Hell, he thought, this was what they saw. It didn't take long for the first guard to try to stop him.

The second class wore traditional armor, and when it saw him approaching it stood. “Uh, My Lord, what a pleasant surprise. May I escort you to your chambers?”

“No.”

“Oh. Well, then perhaps we could go visit Lead Councilman Frieza--”

He grabbed the demon by the throat, tossing him aside easily and walking by. The being sputtered angrily, following after him and pushing aside his fear to swing his club toward the Prince's back. Vegeta smiled, turning around and catching the weapon easily.  _ Finally _ . A fight.

He talked the club out of the demon's hand and swung it back around, catching him under the jaw. The thing was no match for him; for someone who trained every day because he had nothing else to do. There was blood on his armor for the first time.

There were two more a hallway down, and they tried to negotiate at first.

"Your highness," a tall, lanky beast bowed as he approached. "May we be of service?"

"You may move."

They glanced at each other. The tall one tried to grab his arm.

That was the wrong choice. Vegeta kneed him hard in the gut, then pulled his father's sword from his back, and stabbed it mercilessly into the being's ribcage.

The other one was smart. He ran. Damn. That meant he'd get others. He could not take Hell's entire force, so he quickened his step. Hopefully by the time they made it to the dungeon they would be too late.

He felt two more energies, one he identified immediately as Kakarot and another he thought he recognized. So, only one more unlucky warrior stood between him and Kakarot's cell. He held his sword out in front of him. As he turned the corner he could see the mostly human man panting on the ground behind a thick set of bars, trying not to melt in the intense heat. The last demon turned and smirked at him.

“You?” Vegeta blinked. “What are you--”

“Oh  _ nooooo. _ It's  _ Prince Vegetaaaa _ ,” Raditz said, dramatically throwing a hand over his forehead. He dropped to the ground. “He's here to kick my ass and take my prisoner… Ahh… he  _ got _ me!”

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Raditz winked, inclining his head towards the cell, then punched himself hard in the face to leave a mark. “I, a demon who now has  _ no culpability  _ as an suspected accomplice because I turned my brother in, am being defeated by the best warrior in Hell. Duh. Gee, it sure would suck if you took the keys from my belt and took Kakarot while I'm lying unconscious on the ground, seeing as you kicked my ass. Then you could take him anywhere at all, and since he's so humany the council would have a hard time tracking either if you. It's almost like he could disappear for good with almost no consequences whatsoever.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes, opening the cell and throwing the half-unconscious man over his shoulder. Kakarot stirred, smiling weakly. “Bye, Ray.”

“Bye, Ka. Be good.”

\-----------------

  


“I'm going to name him Trunks,” Bulma said from the driver's seat.

“That’s a terrible name,” Vegeta mumbled sleepily from the passenger side. He still didn't quite have the hang of required sleep, something which had not taken Kakarot very long to get used to since he'd always been a fan of doing nothing. Even now, a month after his horns disappeared, he tended to sleep sporadically throughout the day whenever the urge hit him.

“I think it's nice,” Chichi assured her from the backseat where she was resting against Kakarot. “Have you thought of any names, Goku?”

“Let's name him Gohan.”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh. I love it! What does it mean?”

“It means 'meal’. I'm hungry.”

She slapped his chest. “That's a terrible way to name a child. We're not calling him that.”

“You liked it, though.”

She shrugged noncommittally. “We'll see. We've got a few months yet.”

“How far until food, Bulma?” Kakarot whined.

“That's a surprisingly good question,” Vegeta muttered. “Feed us, Woman.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whiny ass demons.”

“We're going to stop and get a hotel room in North City,” Chichi promised.

Kakarot groaned. “Another hotel room?”

“Yes,” Vegeta said, “We have to keep moving. Don't see why we should wait that long for  _ food _ , though.”

Bulma set a hand over his.

_ “We're coming, Prince Vegeta, _ ” Lead Councilman Frieza said in his ear again. “ _ Won't be long now.” _ He said that a few times a day to intimidate him, and damn it, it worked. They had to keep moving, they could never rest.

It was worth it.

 

 

The End


End file.
